Quote:
Originally Posted by atreinke
I happen to like the OF display just the way it is now. The display contains everything I need / want and it is easy to see-find-and use. I am not into "pretty" software, I want function and high visibility of the information I want and need with a glance and it is all there. The bells and whistles are there and easy to find without all the extra colors and fluff.
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I'm sure you're happy with the existing look of the UI based on what you stated, but let's be clear about aesthetic elegance and usability. An appealing aesthetic is not about sacrificing functionality in any way, in fact quite the opposite. Software can be beautifully elegant and aesthetically pleasing in a way that enhances usability. It may be that you're perhaps eluding to a misguided stigma you may have that's associated with what you refer to 'pretty' interfaces that involve easthetic elements that do not play any role in usability, because it seems to be something you perceive negatively, and good visual design should rarely if ever leave such impressions. What I'm suggesting is much like the design philosophy employed by companies like Apple. Now, I'm sure there are those out there that mightr argue that the design and interface of the iPod is awful and they might not like it, but it's very obvious by the market cap of the product that the vast majority actually appreciate the elegant visual design of the product and its associated interfaces. Good visual design is not about aesthetics for easthetic's sake at all.
Perhaps the answer is flexibility. If the OMNI team did enhance the visual design of the UI, I doubt there's any reason they couldn't also provide the option of the more sterile, bland, stripped down look as well. My ideal scenario involves a 'theme' functionality that would allow any designer to customize the UI to some extent to achieve their optimal easthetic, no matter what that may be...